


A Touch of Honesty || [James "Bucky" Barnes X Reader]

by midnighteclipse



Category: Captain America (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe, X-Men (Movieverse)
Genre: Bucky Barnes Has Issues, Bucky Barnes is a Jerk, F/M, Female Reader, Hydra (Marvel), Interrogation, Kidnapping, Post-Captain America: The Winter Soldier, Racially Ambiguous Reader, Reader is a mutant, Tactile Hypnosis
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-06-20
Updated: 2017-07-11
Packaged: 2018-07-16 06:29:12
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 15
Words: 11,220
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7256206
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/midnighteclipse/pseuds/midnighteclipse
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>You left the Institute to have a normal life. To relearn what it meant to be human. Not to be kidnapped by an ex-HYDRA assassin and be forced to help him find out who he was.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This is another Bucky story I've had in the works for a while now. I actually started this one in my Google Docs before I even started typing out Gentle Touches I just had a major writer's block and opted to work on the latter instead.
> 
> Now that I'm having some writer's black for Gentle Touches I had a bout of inspiration for this fic and decided to share with you guys. I think I'll mostly be going back and forth as my inspiration and motivation come along. So don't worry I'm not abandoning Gentle Touches. Those of you who haven't read it yet please go check it out. I put a lot of love and effort into it and would love to share it with you guys.
> 
> I hope you guys like his fic and please feel free to leave a comment. Any constructive criticism is encouraged and compliments even more so. Thanks for taking the time to read through this~

The bustling crowd of Times Square was the last thing on your mind. As was the downpour currently beating down on your retreating form.

 

No. It wasn't the lingering glances directed at you or the cool rain that seeped through your thin shirt that was troubling you. Rather, the heavy footsteps that mirrored yours a good twenty feet behind you. Normally it wouldn't bother you so much seeing as it was currently the afternoon rush hour, but you had been walking for nearly forty minutes now and those same footsteps had been following you for at least thirty.

 

Your eyes scanned the area. There had to be someplace where you could stop. Some place public enough to scare off whatever creep decided to single you out.

 

There, a coffee shop. You glanced down at your watch. It was nearing seven. It wouldn't seem too suspicious to suddenly go in for a drink and a sandwich.

 

You crossed the street, ignoring the rude comments from several taxi drivers. You sheltered yourself under the awning and wrung out your clothes and hair from excess water. You didn't need the shop owner throwing you out for getting his floor all wet and slippery. You walked into the little shop, feeling significantly better at the sight of several people already inside. After wiping your feet on the welcome mat you strolled over to the counter and ordered your food. The sound of another person entering the shop as you sat down at your table didn't escape your notice.

 

You took a large bite of your sandwich, recognizing the now all too familiar footsteps making their way to sit three tables over. You snuck a glance over your shoulder, there sat a man with his back to you.

 

You took in his appearance, gray hoodie, black pants and boots, and a navy cap over brown hair pulled back into a short, messy ponytail. You observed his build, he was definitely bulkier than you were and easily surpassing you in height. 

 

_ But that’s alright _ , you thought.  _ I've taken out bigger _ .

  
  


After finishing up your sandwich you leaned back into your chair and took a slow sip of your drink. It’s already been fifteen minutes since you and your stalker stepped into the coffee shop. When all he had ordered was a cup of coffee you had really hoped he would've given up by now. Apparently he was just as stubborn as you were.

 

You heard a chair being dragged out from under the table, soon followed by retreating footsteps. He must have been going to the bathroom. He must have given up.

 

You waited until you heard the restroom door lock shut. Once it did, you bolted up from your chair and threw out the remainder of your drink in the trash on your way out. As soon you were out the door you bolted. 

 

You sprinted past blocks and stores and even cut through busy traffic. Once you were sure you had put enough distance between yourself and the shop you slowed down to a brisk walk. You were only a block away from your apartment, you'd go in through the back and you'd finally be able to take a nice warm shower to calm your nerves.

  
  


You sighed loudly as you patted your damp hair with a towel. It was only 7:20 pm. It would only be another hour by the time Jean and Kitty came over tonight. You still had some time to kill and order some take out.

 

You stepped out of your bathroom and into your bedroom. As you went over to pick up your cell a sudden chill went up your spine. Your eyes flickered over to your window. It was closed, as were the curtains. So why did you feel like you were being watched?

 

Suddenly two arms wrapped around your form tightly and pulled you against a person’s firm chest.

 

You struggled to get at least one arm free but whoever was holding onto you had an iron grip and refused to let go. One arm wrapped tightly around your arms and waist while the other had a gloved hand pressed against your mouth.

 

“Stop struggling and I'll let you go. Scream and you'll get a double dose of the cure in the neck. Understand?”

 

You stood stiff as a board. The cure? It had been destroyed. Hadn’t it? How did he even know? You never used your powers in public.

 

You nodded slowly. He let you go, pushing you onto your bed as he did so. You spun around and landed on your butt. Your eyes widened once you saw him. It was the man from earlier, the man who had been all over the new since last month. The Winter Soldier.

 

His dark blue eyes pierced yours, freezing you in place. You snuck a glance at his right leg where just as he promised was a gun full of plastic syringes. Your eyes flickered back up at his face.

 

“What do you want?”

 

“Information,” he answered gruffly.

 

Your brow furrowed and your fingers gripped your bedsheets. “I don't know anything.”

“No, but you can get it for me.”

 

You bit back a curse. He knew exactly what your powers were. Your eyes narrowed slightly. “Do I have a choice?”

 

“Yes.” His right gloved hand hovered over his holster. “Either you agree and come with me or you don't and find out what it means to be human.”

 

You swallowed thickly. “Those aren't very great choices.”

 

“Those are your options,” he responded indifferent to your distress and crossed his arms.

 

The two of you stared at each other attentively. Him in an effort to intimidate you, which frankly was working much more than you liked, and you to try and get a read on him. He had the stance of a soldier and a very strict one at that and the fact that it was so easy to subdue you meant he had years of training. Only Logan and Raven had ever been able to do that. Whatever this man was planning, given on his previous history, it was most definitely not legal. You finally broke the silence. 

 

“I don't usually work with my stalkers,” his fingers closed around the handle of his gun which urged you to continue. “But with my… abilities on the line, I’ll gladly make an exception.”

 

His hand retracted from the gun. “You have ten minutes to get your things. I'll be waiting.”

 

Your eyes followed his movements as he left your bedroom and shut the door behind him. A ragged breath escaped you. What had you just agreed to? You couldn't just blindly follow some psycho just because he threatened you with a gun!

 

You stood up from your bed and went over to your closet, taking out a worn backpack from high school and some plain clothing. You also stuffed your ID and passport, just in case. You felt around deeper in your closet till you felt your fingers touch leather. You lifted the article of clothing off the hanger hesitantly. It had been so long since you worn this suit.

 

Your eyes traced the black and gold edges as memories surfaced. Every knick every patched up rip and scratch had its own story behind it. Your fingers brushed over the black and gold ‘X’ on the belt. With a strong tug you pulled off the insignia and set it on your nightstand. You'd be back for it.

 


	2. Chapter 2

After giving Jean a call to schedule a rain check, your stalker was quick to “borrow” a motorcycle. You decided not to ask any questions, and simply climbed on behind him at his command. After a good hour of silence you decided to speak up.

 

“How did you find me? I never registered.”

 

With the wind whipping around the both of you, you didn't think he heard you. It wasn't until several minutes later that the baritone of his voice reached your ears.

 

“The government has files on every confirmed mutant spotted in the last forty years. You're no exception.”

 

You stiffened against his back. “Do you work for the government? Are you still...” you swallowed thickly, a pit beginning to form in your stomach. Why didn’t you think about his earlier? “Are you HYDRA?”

 

“...No.”

 

You nodded and shifted a bit in your seat behind him. He wasn't government and he wasn’t HYDRA (if he wasn't lying that is) which was a bit reassuring but that made him all the more dangerous. He didn't have to answer to anyone. He called his own shots. And made them quite literally.

 

You spoke up once more. “Why me? You could have chosen anyone else.”

 

“I need information,” he responded curtly.

 

“Yeah, I got that.” You glanced at him through the side-view mirror, gauging his reaction as you continued. “But why do you need my skill set? Judging by how easily you were able to take me down, you're capable of beating out whatever information you want without a problem.”

 

“What I need to be done needs to be done quietly.”

 

You paused your mini interrogation as an airport came into view. You were suddenly grateful for having thought of packing your passport.You watched as an airplane took off from a nearby airstrip. The sound of the turbines was deafening. You found yourself comparing it to Hank’s Blackbird as you observed the exterior. You focused on your- (What was he even? As much as you wanted to keep calling him your stalker, you knew you couldn’t keep that up if you wanted some semblance of normal in this whole situation which was far from normal. He was definitely not a friend but not exactly a foe. Acquaintance sounded too casual and detached, much like your companion. Oh, there it was.) -companion.

 

You tapped your fingers on his torso. “Where are we going?”

 

“Europe.”

 

“Where in Europe?”

 

“Keep asking questions and I'll dump your ass off the side of the road.” He snapped back, eyes flashing angrily.

 

“Alright, alright, sheesh!” You glared at his shoulder and shifted against him, trying to distance yourself as far as possible from him without falling out of your seat. It wasn’t very far. 

 

Soon the two of you found yourselves at the front of the airport. He came to a stop and parked the bike. The two of you slipped off the bike, his left hand immediately grabbing your right wrist as the two of you entered the airport.

 

To your surprise, the two of you managed to pass airport security, including the metal detectors, and purchased tickets. You caught a glimpse of the tickets, Sokovia. Wasn't that country facing a civil war? 

 

The whole time his hand never left your wrist. There was only an hour left until the two of you would take your flight, and your wrist was beginning to ache.

 

“Would you let go?” You pulled your arm to no avail. “I’m not gonna run away. Probably wouldn't even get too far if I tried.”

 

His electric blue eyes pierced yours before he released you from his grip. “If you so much as move I  _ will  _ hurt you and make it look like an accident.”

 

You rubbed your wrist and glared back at him. “I don’t doubt it…”

 

You shifted in your hard seat, leaning back to rest your head. You eyed your captor as his gaze flitted around, never staying in one place for too long. He was constantly on-guard.

 

You nudged his arm with your elbow. “So what’s your name, soldier?”

 

Another glare directed at you.

 

You sighed loudly and sat back up, crossing your arms. “Listen, sunshine. If we’re gonna do whatever it is you got planned the least you could do is have the courtesy to tell me your name. Unless you prefer Sunshine, it’s fitting.”

 

“You don’t know?” He raised an eyebrow.

 

“Well, I heard about you but I’m not really one for watching the news. I already know this world is screwed up, I don’t need a daily reminder.”

 

He hummed in response and turned back to observe the multitude of scurrying people. He clenched his hand into a fist. The left one, you noted, the metal one.  _ That arm is a problem. _

 

“My name is Bucky.”

 

You hummed. “That’s… different.” 

 

“It’s a nickname… I think.” He unclenched his hand, and wrapped the fingers around the edge of the arm rest.

 

You shuffled further from his arm. It creeped you out. It felt  _ wrong.  _ Not the fact that it was metal, Piotr turned his arms metal just to poke you with his cold hand back in high school all the time. But… Bucky’s arm felt and looked like it was forced onto him. You didn’t like it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The Piotr mentioned in the story is Piotr Nikolaievitch Rasputin AKA Colossus.


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Quick update for you guys~

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> EDIT:I posted an incomplete version of this chapter. I just fixed it. Sorry!

You and Bucky had boarded onto the airplane unperceived. Apparently people were so ignorant they couldn’t see the warning signs of a woman being held against her will, shoved into the window seat with her abductee beside her, and smuggled across several borders.  

 

You smushed yourself as far away from Bucky as possible. You sat to his left and he made sure you had a view of his left arm on the arm rest. If you tried anything funny, which you weren’t stupid enough to do to begin with you were on a plane for crying out loud, he’d stop you and there was nothing you could do about it. It made you feel claustrophobic and you didn’t like it one bit.

 

You needed to do something to distract yourself. You took your bag out from underneath your chair and took out your earphones and made to plug them into the jack on you armrest. Before you could even reach it Bucky’s left hand grabbed yours tightly.

 

“What are you doing?”

 

“I’m just plugging in my ear phones,” you snapped and tried tugging your hand away. Emphasis on tried. “This is a ten hour flight and I’d rather not spend it in tense silence. Now will you let go and let me watch my movie?”

 

“Movie?” His eyebrows drew together and you rolled your eyes.

 

“Yes, a movie. You know, moving pictures?”

 

“I know what a movie is,” he huffed angrily.

 

“Great. Now, would you mind?” You looked down at his hand pointedly. He unlatched his fingers from around your wrist and settled his arm back on the arm rest. His eyes still held yours and you ground your teeth as you looked away and forcefully pushed your earphones into the jack of your chair. You popped both earphones into your ears and turned on the mini tv screen.

 

You tried your best to ignore his observing you and sifted through the list of movies the plane had to offer. After sifting through two pages you finally landed on a title you wanted to watch. The Book Thief. You remembered having read it in highschool as an assignment for your English Lit. class. It was a touchy subject, considering many mutants had been victim to Johann Schmidt’s experiments in the 30s and 40s, but it was necessary to the curriculum. You had been meaning to watch the movie since it had been released the previous year but had never gotten around to it. You supposed now was the time to do it.

 

You selected the movie and shifted into a more comfortable position in your seat. Bucky was still watching you, but you weren’t about to let that ruin the movie for you. Instead you turned in a way that your back was too him but you could still watch the movie without straining your neck.

________________________________________

You were crying. Only an hour into the movie and you were fricking crying. You told yourself you weren’t going to cry. You read this book cover to cover more times than you could count. Yet here you were, stuck on a plane with your abductor and crying. Granted it  _ was  _ a sad movie, and you were constantly comparing what the character Max had gone through to what you had heard from Holocaust survivors like Erik Lehnsherr, but letting the first tear slip had been a swift and mighty blow to your ego. Especially since you knew Bucky was still observing you from the corner of his eye.

 

You let out a frustrated groan and paused the movie. You wiped the stubborn tears away with the heel of your hand, albeit roughly and yanked out your earphones.

 

“What’s wrong?”

 

“Shut up,” you sniffled angrily, wiping your nose despite it being clean. Your hand was yanked away from your face roughly and you hissed in pain.

 

“What was that? I don’t think I heard that right.” His grip tightened slightly causing a whimper to escape you. Your other hand quickly shot up and clicked the button to call for the flight attendant. At the sound of approaching footsteps he quickly lets your hand go and relaxing his seat as if he weren’t just threatening you.

 

A perky flight attendant appeared moments later, her eyes immediately connecting to to Bucky. “Is there anything I can help you with, sir?”

 

You clear your throat non discreetly, garnering the attendant’s attention.”Actually, I pressed the button. I was just wondering if you guys carried any aspirin. I sprained my wrist yesterday and it hurts like hell right about now.”

 

“Of course,” she smiled sweetly. “I’ll  be right back.” With one last look at Bucky she turned around to go get your aspirin.

 

The moment she was out of earshot you shot a nasty look at Bucky. “Grab me like that again and I’ll tell them you’re my abusive boyfriend, got it?” You raised your bruised wrist up for him to see. “It’s all black and blue thanks to you.”

 

To your surprise, Bucky grimaced and turned his eyes away from your wrist. “If you don’t like it then cooperate. It’s not that damn hard.”

 

You scoffed and crossed your arms defiantly. “It’d be easier if you told me why we even left.”

 

Bucky’s eyes scanned the other passengers in suspicion. “Not here.”

 

“This flight is  _ ten hours _ long.”

 

“Then I suggest you get comfortable and sleep. We have a long day tomorrow.”

 

The attendant returns with two pills of aspirin and a cup of water and you’re quick to down it all in one go. Maybe the dull throbbing in your wrist will go away.You tell her your thanks and turn back to Bucky, oddly more comfortable with him now that he took your sleep schedule into consideration.Though it was probably so you wouldn’t complain so much. 

 

“This mission of yours,” you shifted in your seat laying your head back. “It better be worth the trouble.”


	4. Chapter 4

You were woken up to something shaking your soldier. You tried swatting it away and were met with cool metal.

 

“Five more minutes, Piotr. Class doesn’t start till eight.” You turned away from the metal hand, wincing at the stiffness in your back and shoulders.

 

You heard a rough sigh to your right. “Don’t make me do this.” 

 

You grumbled unintelligibly in response and curled further in on yourself. Just as you were slipping right back into unconsciousness you felt the back of your shirt being lifted up. As you were about to elbow off Piotr you felt cold metal pressed against your lower back. You flinched violently, hitting your knee against your chair’s armrest.

 

“Agh!” You whipped your head around angrily. “What Pio-- not Piotr. Not a dream.” You dragged your hands down your face and took a deep breath to compose yourself. “What do you want?”

 

Bucky was extremely unimpressed if his face was anything to go on. He discreetly stuffed his metal hand back into a leather glove and stood up from his chair. He lifted his arms up as he stretched, finishing only when a few sickeningly loud cracks were heard from his neck and spine.

 

“The flight’s already landed. We’re the last ones, so unless you want that stewardess to come back I suggest you get moving.”

 

You glared at him and stood up stiffly from your seat, wincing as you felt your knees and hip socket pop simultaneously. “What time is it?”

 

“Eastern Standard Time, eight a.m. In Sokovia, three in the afternoon. Now come one, we still have a long way to go.”

 

Shouldering your backpack with a huff you followed Bucky off the boarding ramp and into the airport. Like before, Bucky’s hand reached out to yours but instead of grabbing your wrist he opted for grabbing your hand. You shot him a look and scoffed when he answered saying, “Wouldn’t want anyone to think I’m your ‘abusive boyfriend’.”

 

“Fine, but if you try to touch me anywhere else, I’m punching you in the nuts,” you threatened.

 

He simply rolled his eyes. “Wouldn’t dream of it.”

  
  


The two of you made it near the exit of the airport quickly which was a relief, too many elderly couples would look at you and Bucky knowingly, most likely mistaking your frowns for jet lag and clasped hands as a sign of tenderness. It was sickening how easily these people were fooled. 

 

The two of you walked out of the airport and you felt your muscles coil tightly as they came in contact with the frigid air.

 

“Holy- it’s  **freezing** !” You wrapped your free arm around yourself in a weak attempt to warm yourself. 

 

With a sigh Bucky released your other hand and began zipping off his hoodie. If it weren’t for the freezing cold you would made a run for it while he was distracted. 

 

_ He would catch me anyway., _ you thought.  _ It’s not like I know my way around here to begin with. Even if I did, I’m pretty sure this country doesn’t take too well to American foreigners. _

 

Your thoughts were interrupted as a sudden warmth was wrapped around your shoulders. You looked up at Bucky questionably but he was more concentrated on removing your backpack from your shoulders to accommodate the over-sized sweater.

 

 He pulled away as you slipped your arms through the admittedly warm sleeves and passed you your backpack. “We’re not getting anywhere anytime soon if all you do is complain.”

 

You glared. “No way you’re not cold in just a sweater.” You zipped up the hoodie and pulled up the head over your head as well as shoulder your backpack on.

  
“I’ve felt worse.” And with that he snatched your hand up again in his own and led you away from the airport and to wherever the hell he was dragging you off to.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> That last scene ended coming out angstier than I intended. Whoops.  
> Hope you guys enjoyed the update~


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh! Would you look at that! Another update!

The first thing Bucky did was rent a car in cash. You were a bit surprised to see how many rubles he was pulling out of a hidden pouch of his backpack. You didn’t even know Sokovia used rubles or spoke Russian. You were a bit relieved at that. At least you would be able to get a general understanding of the conversation around you and not be at a complete loss when Bucky was speaking to one of the natives. Bless Piotr and his insistence on teaching you basic Russian.

 

Despite the hoodie that Bucky had leant you, it even had a nice fluffy lining of faux fur, you could still feel the cold Sokovian air nipped at you. If you hadn’t argued with Bucky at the car rental you were positive you wouldn’t have been sitting in the only four wheel drive equipped with heating and seat warmers right now.

 

You propped your feet up against the dashboard and leaned back into your seat with a content sigh. “You know,” you drawled. “For a former Hydra assassin you really hate breaking the law. Well, discounting thievery of a motorcycle and kidnapping.”

 

Bucky rolled his eyes and leaned his left arm against the car door. “I didn’t steal the motorcycle I borrowed it and you  _ agreed _ to come with me. Besides, there’s no point in leaving a trail for Hydra or the government to follow.” He shot a look at your feet propped up against the dashboard and quirked an eyebrow.

 

“You threatened to “cure” me.” You raised your hand up to form air quotes with your fingers. “Of course I’d rather go on on your dumb little mission. Which by the way, you still haven’t told me about, so spill.” You turned slightly in your seat to face him with crossed arms.

 

Bucky let out a long-suffering sigh and gave you a sideways glance. He turned his eyes towards the road and then you were sure he wouldn’t be talking with you for at least another couple hours. You almost didn’t hear him when he began speaking.

 

“When I was with Hydra they… did things to me." His grip on the steering wheel tightened. "I don’t remember who I am... was. I need you to interrogate one of them so I can find out the truth.”

 

Your heart hammered in your chest. He wanted you to get close to a  _ Hydra  _ agent and interrogate them? You swallowed thickly and heard a buzzing in your ears. You vaguely heard Bucky’s voice over the buzz and felt the car slow down. You took that opportunity to grab your backpack tightly, unbuckle your seat belt and jump out of the car in one swift move.

 

The moment your feet hit the ground you ran off into the nearby woods. You dodged branches and jumped over logs, spurred forward only by the sound of Bucky frantically yelling your name. You chanced a look over your shoulder, you couldn’t see him. Fear settled in the pit of your stomach. He was an assassin, he could take you out easily with just one round of the cure and you wouldn’t even know it until it was too late.

 

Suddenly a strong force knocks into your left side and you’re scrambling on the ground, trying to get up, trying to get away. You would  _not_ let them know your existence. Hydra could **not** know about mutants. You feel your breath get knocked out of you as a knee digs into your back and one of Bucky’s hands grabs both of your wrist.

 

“______, calm down!”

 

“Let go of me you bastard!” You thrash wildly, trying your damned hardest to topple him off of you but he’s too strong and as you try to kick him you feel a pinch on the side of your neck and everything fades to black.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Whoops. My hand slipped.


	6. Chapter 6

You woke up on a bed with a blanket draped over you. You sat up quickly, the unfamiliar room in which you found yourself immediately setting you on edge. Your eyes scanned the room and were quick to spot Bucky sitting in the far corner. He was hunched over, leaning his forearms on his thighs and hands folded between his knees. If it weren’t for the metal hand poking out from his sleeve, he would’ve seemed like a regular person.

 

“Where the hell am I?” You gripped the sheets tightly, drawing your legs close. “Why did you bring me here?”

 

“We had to ditch the car.” Bucky stood up and headed towards what looked like an adjoined bathroom. “We’re five hours out from the airport.”

 

“Wait. You carried me for five hours?” You swing your legs over the side of the bed and attempted to stand up. You only barely lifted yourself when your head began to swim and your knees gave out. You plopped back onto the mattress and held your head in your hands. “Ugh. What did you drug me with?”

 

“Rohypnol.” Bucky emerged from the bathroom, drying his hands off with a towel. “You might not want to make any sudden movements in the next couple hours.”

 

“You roofied me?!” You winced. “Why?”

 

“You wouldn’t stop struggling and the last thing I needed was for someone to hear you.” He set the towel down and crossed his arms, left over right. “Besides, you know I can’t let you touch me.”

 

“Yeah, what a travesty.” You prodded at the side of your neck, where a nasty looking bruise was forming. “How long until this stuff wears off?”

 

“Two more hours at best, maybe four. Wasn’t exactly using precise measurements with the way your were bucking around.”

 

“You’re an ass.”

 

Bucky scoffed and went to sit on the twin bed identical to yours on the right. It also happened to be the one closest to the door. “It’s nine o'clock, get some sleep. We head out early in the morning.”

 

“I’ve had enough sleep, thanks.” You shifted on the bed, leaning your back against the headboard. You sighed heavily and leaned your head back against the wood. “I can’t go with you to Hydra, Bucky. Do you know what they’d do to me if they captured me? I’d be an experiment. They’ll treat me no better than the Nazis in the 40's treated my people.”

 

“They won’t capture you.”

 

You turned your head towards him. “How can you be sure? I’m sure they’re still plenty of them after what happened in DC.”

 

“I’ll be there with you, that’s how. I’ll get you where you need to be and you get me what I need. After that you can go back to New York.”

 

You fixed your gaze on the blank television on the opposite wall. “Are they looking for you?”

 

“...yes.”

 

You licked your lips and turned back to look at him. “Then why are you doing this? What could possibly be worth being caught again?”

 

“Hydra took everything from me. It’s only fair I do the same to them.” He inclined his head towards you. “Now are you going to help me?”

 

“You know I can’t trust you. Not after you kidnapped me and drugged me.”

 

Bucky clenched his jaw and looked off to the side. You watched as he swallowed thickly and began lifting his right sleeve up, revealing an ample amount of skin. 

 

_ No way he’s… _

 

He extended his arm towards you, palm facing upwards, and held your gaze. “Ask me anything, let me prove that you can trust me.”

 

“I- you’re not serious.”

 

“Do it, ______.”

 

You felt a chill go up your spine. He wasn’t asking, he was telling you to do it, ordering you.  Like a soldier.

 

“Okay.” You pushed yourself to the edge of the bed and held your left hand above his arm. “This is going to feel weird.”

 

Bucky nodded and you exhaled, placing your hand over the underside of his arm. You felt a buzzing pass through your arm and your eyes met his. You were fully attuned to his mind. You could tell him to take you back to America and turn himself in and he wouldn’t be able to do anything about it.

 

“______.”

 

You shook your head and breathed in deeply. “Okay, right, um, answer truthfully to every question I ask you. What’s your full name?”

 

“James Buchanan Barnes.” Bucky nodded at you to continue.

 

“When were you born?”

 

“March 10th, 1917.”

 

You raised your eyebrows. “Looking pretty good for ninety-seven years old.”

 

“You don’t seem too surprised.” Bucky huffed. Was he actually disappointed?

 

“Believe it or not I have a friend older than you and looking pretty good himself.” You smirked. “‘Course he usually doesn’t have to threaten anyone to pick up chicks. Why did you choose me?”

 

Bucky grimaced before answering. “You don’t have a family. If anything happened to you here…”

 

“There would be nobody to miss me.” Bucky nodded and you smirked.  “Smart plan. Even my friends would just think I was… just being me. Why should I trust you?”

 

“Because the Avengers aren’t going to be able to take Hydra down themselves. If I help from the sidelines at least it’ll get the job done faster. No more Hydra, no more experiments. They won’t be able to take anything from anyone ever again.”

  
You lifted your hand from Bucky’s arm and nodded. “Alright. I’m in.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here we go.


	7. Chapter 7

“So where are we anyway?” Your crossed your legs beneath you and looked up at the ceiling of what seemed to be a cabin. There were exposed beams and in the corner of the room was an empty fireplace. 

 

“Motel. It took me a while but I managed to get us this room free of charge.”

 

You quirked a brow. “They let you come in here with an unconscious woman and didn’t ask any questions?”

 

“How do you think I got free charge? I told them you passed out from the cold, managed to get some extra blankets and pillows free too.”

 

You threw your head back, ignoring the sting in your neck, and laughed. “Oh my god. They believed that bull?!”

 

“Yeah, well, most tourists who come to Sokovia this time of year underestimate the cold.” He sniffed and rubbed his nose. “It’s not so rare they get into the early stages of hypothermia.”

 

You leaned on your hand and hummed. “You sure know a lot about Sokovia.”

 

“I was kept here a couple years. It was necessary that I knew the ins and out of life here in order to blend in during a mission.”

 

“Well that’s convenient.” You lifted yourself off the bed, and sighed in relief, glad that you didn’t feel an ounce of vertigo. Regardless, you kept your eyes down to watch your step. You didn’t miss the way Bucky’s right forefinger twitched near his leg, where his gun holster was only yesterday. You looked up at him, feigning ignorance, and gestured towards the bathroom. “I’m gonna go take a shower.”

 

Bucky nodded and released the tension in his shoulders. With that you grabbed your backpack, which was conveniently placed at the foot of your bed and made your way to the bathroom.

 

You closed the door behind you and leaned heavily against it. What even was your life anymore? You just made nice with your kidnapper! Well, not so much a kidnapper now, but still he drugged you! You should be furious. You should be kicking his ass or at the very least have him bring you home. But no, the bastard played his cards right and made you trust him.

 

You smirked and shook your head. Logan and Scott both would’ve slapped you upside the head if they knew what you were getting yourself into.

 

“Hydra,” you muttered as you sifted through your stuffed backpack for your sleeping clothes. “You’re gonna go on this insane mission when he won’t even trust you.”

 

You fiddled with the shower knobs until you figure out how they worked and began stripping off your dirty clothes.

 

As you stood beneath the warm water you sighed. Yeah, he let you touch him, even let you sway him. But that didn’t mean he trusted you. He could easily rip himself out of your grasp. You felt how strong he was. Sure, you could sense that his psyche had been tampered with before, but he had overcome it. Which meant he had some resistance to telepathic control. If it weren’t for all the one-on-one training you had had with Jean and the Professor you wouldn’t had been able to sway him in your weakened state.

  
He was having you trust him, but would he ever trust you?


	8. Chapter 8

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Short update while I figure out the next chapter to Gentle Touches.

The following morning you and Bucky left the motel and managed to steal a car. It was significantly smaller but thankfully had heating. To you, that was all that mattered, Sokovian laws be damned.

 

Despite the bitter cold and hazardous roads, you couldn’t help but admire the great forests and mountain ranges you came across on the way there. It was, in its own way, peaceful. Or at least as peaceful as driving to a Neo-Nazi Organization’s base could be.

 

After an hour or two of driving in silence you stretched your arms over your head and sighed. 

 

“So how long is this trip exactly?”

 

Bucky glanced at you then back at the road. “It’ll be two more days by road then a day by foot.” Bucky drummed his metal fingers on the steering wheel. “It’s on one of the highest mountain ranges, but thankfully there are a couple of hikers trails nearby.”

 

You refrained from complaining about having to walk a whole day through about three feet of snow uphill, seeing as that it had gotten you nowhere the past two days. “Hydra made a base near hiker trails?”

 

“The base was an old castle, used to belong to an old Sokovian duke. Right after World War I it was abandoned and it was under Hydra’s taken control of it ever since. Not many of the locals know about it and anyone who’d come across it would just dismiss it as a military outpost.”

 

You hummed. “Smart real estate. You guys think of everything, huh?”

 

Bucky flinched and his right hand tightened imperceptibly on the steering wheel. “ _ They’ve  _ made it this far for a reason. Real estate is just the tip of the iceberg.”

 

You winced at his clipped tone.  _ Stupid, stupid. He’s not HYDRA anymore. Stop referring to him like he is.  _ “Sorry… I wasn’t trying to...I’m just more familiar with… you know.”

 

He sighed. “Yeah. I know.”

 

* * *

 

 

Thirty awkward minutes later you finally gathered up the nerve to make eye contact. 

 

“So who are we going to… interrogate anyway?” You shifted in your seat and tucked a leg beneath you to face him. “Just some random soldier who knows all the latest gossip or are we ballsy enough to go for the head honcho?”

 

Bucky nodded. “We’re targeting one of the heads; Baron Wolfgang von Strucker.”

 

“One of the heads? Like the actual Hydra?”

 

“Something like that. Wasn’t exactly well-versed on their mythology, there was something about his deity. It's all a bunch of bull they use to recruit idiots.” 

  
You nodded and and leaned back against your seat. You weren't sure you would ever be comfortable with how much/little Bucky new about your target.


	9. Chapter 9

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I've been having the worst writers block for Gentle Touches but a sudden inspiration for A Touch of Honesty. Like??? Why won't my brain let me finish what I started?

You leaned your head back and groaned. “Buckyyyy, I’m staaarving.”

 

Bucky clenched his jaw and barely looked your way. “It’s 2AM Eastern Standard Time. You can’t possibly be hungry.”

 

You grimaced as your stomach growled. “Yeah, but I’ve been awake for hours and technically it’s nine in the morning Eastern Europe Time. Perfect time for breakfast.”

 

Bucky pursed his lips. He supposed it was only a matter of time before you began to get hungry. He just wished it hadn’t happen a mere three hours into your trip.

 

“C’mon, man. There has to be a pancake house or something out here!”

 

“A pancake house? In the Sokovian wilderness?”

 

“Ugh, shut up. You know what I mean! I’d eat anything at this point!”

 

Bucky quirked an eyebrow at you. When you didn’t relent he nodded and pulled off at the side of the road. He put the car in park, and reached back to stick his hand in his backpack and took out his pistol. Sitting back up he stuck in a magazine and looked to you.

 

You eyed the gun warily. “What are you doing?”

 

“Getting breakfast. Stay here and lock the doors.” With that he got out the car and shut the door behind him

 

“Wai-” Bucky disappeared behind the tree ling and you flopped back against the seat. “He better not kill a rabbit.”

 

* * *

 

When Bucky came back you nearly screamed. You were listening to some Sokovian/Russian pop music from the radio (you recognized it, remembering that the band was on of Piotr's guilty pleasures), swaying a bit in your seat when he knocked on the window. He held one bloodied jackrabbit in his right hand his pistol in the other.

 

Immediately sensing your discomfort he tucked his pistol in the back of his pants waistband. You cranked the window open, eyes blown wide.

 

“You killed a fricking rabbit?!”

 

“It was that or the five squirrels I saw,” Bucky deadpanned and leant against the car beside your window. He reached down and pulled a dagger out his boot and proceeded to skin the rabbit. “Besides, it’s big enough to save some for lunch.” He cocked his chin towards the driver’s seat. “Now turn off the car and come out.”

  
“Why?”

 

“Can’t exactly cook this in the car, doll.” He snorted. “Unless you have fire powers I don’t know about.”

 

You cranked the window closed with a huff and reached over to turn off the car ignition. You reigned in all your strength and pulled Bucky’s hoodie tightly over your head before exiting the car. He was already done skinning it and began to gut the rabbit by the time you got out.

 

You grimaced as he pulled the innards out and threw them into a nearby bush. “Ugh, that’s disgusting.”

 

“Well, you better get used to it, sweetheart.”

 

You nearly threw up when he severed off the head in one swift motion.


	10. Chapter 10

It was night time now, and you still had half of the rabbit left. You could only thank Bucky for that, being as he had refused to eat both breakfast and lunch. You knew he was some kind of HYDRA super soldier, but even super soldiers had to eat. Right?

 

The two of you sat in the car and you took out what was left of the rabbit. Only the hips and hind legs remained and even though it was a small portion for one person you weren’t going to let Bucky starve himself. All you had seen him consume for the past three days was the cup of coffee had bought in the coffee shop and you weren’t even sure if he  _ drank  _ it.

 

Grabbing the rabbit you tore it down the middle and handed a half to Bucky. “Here. You need to eat.”

 

Bucky shook his head with a frown. “I can go weeks without eating. You need your strength if we’re going to interrogate Strucker.”

 

“Yeah so can I. Three weeks like every other person. And besides we’ll only be together for a week.” You glared at him and pushed the rabbit leg into his face. 

 

“_______.”

 

“I’m not eating of you aren’t, Barnes.” You shoved the rabbit leg into his right hand. “Now c’mon. Either we both eat or neither of us will.”

 

Bucky sighed and raised the rabbit leg into his mouth. “If it gets you to shut up, then fine.” 

 

You scoffed in return but couldn’t help but feel the slightest bit relieved as he began eating.

 

* * *

 

Nights were always rough on you. It was a fact you came to accept in high school. With so many minds buzzing around back in the Xavier Institute it was only natural that they kept you from sleeping. 

 

Now that you had to sleep in the car beside Bucky, you couldn’t help but feel a bit apprehensive. He said he had been used by HYDRA. An organization that was funded on Nazi beliefs and torture methods, you couldn’t imagine he had a sound mind when the darkness of night rolled in. People like him didn’t get a good night’s rest and you knew it was going to prevent you as well. 

 

You reclined your seat back and rolled on your side facing Bucky. He sat straight in his seat, the only movement being his left hand drumming idly on the steering wheel.

 

You tucked an arm under your head and looked up at him. “Aren’t you going to sleep?”

 

“No. I’m going to keep watch.” His eyes met yours. “You can go ahead and sleep.”

 

You propped yourself up on your elbow and leaned your head on your hand. “We can take shifts if you want to, you know. You don’t always have to make some noble sacrifice.”

 

Bucky snorted and turned to look back at the snowy treeline. “Trust me, I’m not. I can--”

 

“Yeah, yeah. I get it.” You waved your hand dismissively with a huff. “You’re a super soldier that can do anything. Well guess what? I’m not some average human. I’m a mutant, which if you didn’t already know are physically stronger than humans. I can handle a night watch.”

 

Bucky sighed heavily and ran a hand through his hair. “If I let you get the first watch will you be quiet?”

 

You sat up quickly and brought your seat back up. “Yep.”

 

Bucky reclines his seat and laid down. “Good, now wake me up if you see anything suspicious.”

  
“Uh-huh. Sure thing.”

 

"I'm serious, ______. Wake me up by two." 

 

You nodded and leaned back in our seat. With that, Bucky turned towards his door and fell silent. It was the lull in his mind that let you know he was actually sleeping.


	11. Chapter 11

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Bit of an AKA Jessica Jones reference in there.

It was midnight when he started tossing and turning in his sleep. At first you weren’t bothered by it, simply taking it as him being uncomfortable and having to shift in the small seat. It wasn’t until he started calling out and grunting that you knew something was wrong.

You turned towards him, your hands hovering over him cautiously. Were you… Were you _supposed_ to wake him up? Would he lash out at you?

You swallowed thickly and looked down at his metal arm. The gears and plates were constantly shifting. Just one punch from that thing and you’d be incapacitated. Or worse, dead.

Bucky let out a low pleading sound and you felt your resolve crumble. You had to do something. You couldn’t just let him suffer like this. You took a deep breath and placed your hands on either side of his face. You would have to sway him.

“Bucky, it’s okay. None of this is real. You’re okay.” Your thumbs brushed lightly back and forth against his cheekbones. The more surface area you covered the easier it would be for you to control him.

His face eyebrows pinched together and he tried to pull his head away.

“Shh. You’re safe. No one is going to hurt you. I promise.” You pulled one hand away to recline your seat and shifted so that you could kneel beside his head. “It’s just a bad dream. Relax.”

You felt relief wash over you as his face relaxed and his breathing began to even out. Your eyes wandered over to the dash clock. It was only twelve twenty. Bucky had told you to wake him up at two. But when had you even seen him sleep? Certainly not in the last three days you had spent with him.

You chewed the inside of your cheek. You had stayed up past two in the morning before. It wouldn’t be too bad if you did it again, especially if it meant your partner got the first good night’s sleep in who knows how long. You turned back to James and sighed.

“Don’t wake up until the first rays of sun come up.” Bucky’s eyebrows drew together in his sleep and you rubbed your thumb between them to smooth out the puckered skin. “Please, Bucky.”

You pursed your lips and reached back to grab a blanket that had been stowed in the car. You draped it over him and ran a hand through your hair. “Sweet dreams, Buck. It’s gonna be a long night.” You pulled away and adjusted your seat. “Please don’t kill me in the morning.”

_________________

Bucky woke up with a jolt.

 

When he turned his head to look out towards the window he yelled out a curse. The sun was already coming up! Why hadn’t you woken him up?!

“Good morning to you too, Sunshine.” You rubbed a hand down your face and smiled sleepily at him. He was definitely going to kill you.

Bucky looked at the dash clock then glared back at you. “Why didn’t you wake me up?”

You raked your finger through your hair and sighed. “You want the long version or the short one? I’d go for the short one though, because I’m like seconds from passing out.”

“I don’t give a damn, just explain yourself.” Bucky sat up and adjusted his seat. It was just past six in the morning. The two of you should have already been on your way by now. He turned on the ignition and drove onto the road.

“Well, you’ve been working your ass off lately and figured you deserved the rest. I mean, come on. You’ve stolen a motorcycle, a car, carried me through the Sokovian wilderness for five hours, hunted for me. Did you really think I’d let you take the night watch? Ha! Think again mister.” You folded your arms behind your head and slouched in your seat. “If we’re going to be partners in this we’re both going to be pulling our own weight. Not just you.”

“Or I could just hit you with another shot of Rohypnol and end this discussion.”

“Not so fast, champ. Too much Rohypnol is bad for a telepath.” You tapped your head. “It can inhibit our powers.”

“Bull shit,” he scoffed.

“Do you _really_ want to put it to the test?”

_Yes,_ thought Bucky. “Fine, but don’t get used to it. You need to sleep too and I can’t have you passing out when we get to the HYDRA base.”

 **  
“** Nice to know you care,” you mumbled and turned away from him in your seat. “Ungrateful old man.”


	12. Chapter 12

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys! Long time no see.
> 
> I'd like to apologize for my absence. I've been very busy these past four weeks with vacation and family matters and just haven't been able to take any time to update this story or Gentle Touches until recently.
> 
> Speaking of Gentle Touches; I've hit a bit of a writer's block with it. I'm not abandoning it, but I'm taking a little break until I figure out how I want to go about completing it. I hope you guys aren't too disappointed. I just want it to end just right and I know I can't do that if I just write the first thing that comes to mind. I need to think it through and plan it out before I publish another chapter.
> 
> I hope you guys understand. In the meantime enjoy this chapter and those to come.

You were fast asleep now, leaving Bucky alone with his thoughts. It didn’t take long for him to figure out how he had gotten a good night’s rest. In fact, he had half a mind to shake you awake and give you a piece of his mind. But when he looked down and saw you curled up in your seat, he settled with clenching his jaw until he felt a cramp.

 

He glanced down at you as you turned on your left side, facing him. You looked a bit pale and your fingertips were bright red. He wondered if that was normal, for them to be that red. You would have complained to him about them if they weren’t, right? You always complained when you weren't comfortable. He was sure you did it just to grate on his nerves.

 

You curled further in on yourself and Bucky sighed. You were cold. Which meant if you stayed cold you’d wake up and complain. And then neither of you would be happy. Well, maybe not happy, Bucky would be satisfied with contentment at this point.

 

He pulled over and reached back behind the seat where he had stuffed the blanket you draped on him last night. It was a fleecy flannel and kept the heavy Sokovian chill out of his bones. Something that hadn’t happened since he had fled D.C. He pulled it out and dropped it on you.

 

"… turn down the AC, Kitty…” You hummed, nuzzling your face into the blanket. “‘M freezing here.”

 

Bucky let a corner of his mouth quirk up. There you were again, complaining. With a sigh he stretched the blanket down to cover your feet and up to your chin. He cranked the heat up and when you released a contented sigh he drove back on the road.

 

* * *

 

You woke up to the sound of the car door closing. The smell of crispy skin and meat reaching your nose. Your stomach growled in accordance.

 

You cracked an eye open and saw Bucky sitting beside you. He had two cooked… actually you didn’t know what that was, but it looked a lot like a rat. But still, it smelled delicious. You rubbed your eyes and yawned loudly, making Bucky look over at you.

 

“What time is it?” You licked your lips, grimacing at the taste of morning breath. Geez, you’d gone over a day already without brushing your teeth.

 

“Twelve. Got you lunch.” Bucky handed the animal over to you as you sat up and adjusted your seat.

 

You grabbed it by the leg and looked it in the face. It’s large yellowing teeth glared back at you. Well, it was most definitely a rodent.

 

“Is… is this rat?” You raised your eyebrows and peered up at Bucky.

 

He ripped a leg off of his and took a bite out of it. "Squirrel," he replied with a full mouth.

 

You pursed your lips. It was this or nothing you supposed.  It could have been worse. He could have actually given you a rat. Following his example, you ripped off a leg and took a bite out of it. It was good if not lacking in seasoning but you weren't about to complain. Not with how hungry you were right now. 

 

"So I was thinking," you started, picking some meat off your squirrel. "W're going to be hiking for two days, right? Where are we going to sleep?"

 

"Don't worry about it." 

 

"What?" You set the squirrel down in your lap. "What is that supposed to mean?"

 

"I said, don't worry about it.

 

"Well when you say it like that I worry." You held your hands out in disbelief. "Do you even have it planned out or are you just making it up as we go?"

 

Bucky rolled his eyes at you. You would have found it amusing if you weren't so agitated.

 

"Just leave it to me." He shot you a look. "You won't be sleeping in the cold if that's what you're so worried about."

 

"I'm more worried about getting eaten by a bear actually." You took a vicious bite out of you squirrel leg. "You better not have me sleeping in a freaking cave."


	13. Chapter 13

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So it's been a while.  
> As expected when September came around so did school. Can you believe it took me over a month to write this. It's insane.
> 
> We're nearly to the point where the infiltration of the HYDRA base takes place. I'm a bit apprehensive since I've never really tried writing an action scene before but I'm gonna give it my all.
> 
> Until then, I hope you enjoy this chapter. :)

A day later and you found out exactly what Bucky meant and you were  _ not  _ happy. You had abandoned the heat of the car, packed up all the supplies, and trekked two miles to a  _ fricking cave. _ You dragged your gloved hands (Bucky had let you use his after about ten minutes of braving the cold) down your face and groaned loudly as Bucky edged towards the mouth of the cave.

 

“What did I say, Barnes?”

 

“I couldn’t care less to be honest.” He took a flashlight out of his pocket and peered into the cave. “Wait here.” He walked into the cave and left you out in the cold as he scoped it out.

 

You shook your legs out. You had only been wearing jeans and a pair of boots that Bucky had also packed. You didn’t even bother asking how he knew your shoe size and simply put them on over three layers of socks. But despite that and the several layers of sweaters plus Bucky’s hoodie, you still felt a chill creeping into your bones. You didn’t even care anymore about having to sleep in a cave. You just wanted to get a fire started and go to sleep. You still had two days of hiking left.

 

Several minutes later Bucky emerged from the cave and nodded at you. You picked up the tac bag from the snow and followed him into the cave. As the two of you went deeper in, you found that you didn’t really need a flashlight to make your way around the outcropping rocks and dips in the ground. The reflection of Bucky’s hand was enough.

 

A couple yards in and the two of you decided you were deep enough in the cave to receive sunlight but not be seen unless someone actually went in, which was very unlikely. According to Bucky the nearest village was several miles away and it was very unlikely for someone to be about in the woods at this time during the season. You weren’t too worried about that to be honest, you knew that you and Bucky were more than capable with dealing with it without having to injure anyone.

 

You set the bags against the walls and frowned. “What happens if I have to use the bathroom?”

 

“We’re in the woods. There are plenty of trees and bushes to choose from.”

 

“I’m being serious, Buck.”

 

“So am I, sweetheart.” He began taking out supplies for making the fire. “There are no gas stations this deep in the wilderness like there have been the past few days.”

 

You grimaced and look out towards the mouth of the cave. You really had to pee. “Do we even have toilet paper?”

 

You turned back to look at him and yelped as he launched a roll towards your face. You caught in your hands and huffed at him. “Ugh. I’ll be back.”

 

 

Peeing in the wilderness, you decided, was not fun. Not fun at all. Not only had you been paranoid of animal pouncing on you at any moment, you also maybe fell into the snow when you were done. It was not cool at all. Freezing, really.

 

You stalked back to the cave, trying to ignore the wet snow seeping through the seat of your pants. Bucky sat in front of the fire, back to you and his right hand outstretched towards the fire. You watched Bucky from the entrance, arms crossed over your chest and hands tucked beneath your arms. Despite his back facing you, you could see how much more relaxed he was.

 

Yeah he was being an ass, that much was normal. But ever since the day after you had swayed him he seemed much more relaxed. You had done the same last night, after he had taken care of the first watch and woke you up to do yours. You knew he knew. But he didn’t make a fuss the following morning. Was that supposed to be his way of displaying trust?

 

“Are you just going to stand there all night?”

 

You huffed and threw the toilet paper at him. He grabbed it with his right hand before it connected.

 

You stalked over towards the fire and plopped down beside him. You tried your best to ignore the way your wet pants felt when you sat down. You let your eyes slide shut as the warmth from the fire seeped into you.

 

“One more day, huh?” You opened your eyes to look over at Bucky.

 

“One more day.” He glanced over at you then back at the fire. “Then I’ll be out of your hair and you can get back to your old life.”

 

You nodded and sighed. “Last week I would have been excited. But now… I’m not sure how I should feel.” You looked down at your hands and removed Bucky's gloves. They had recovered nicely from the red sores that had formed after last night. “Can you promise me something?”

 

He pursed his lips before answering. “Depends on what it is.”

 

“Promise me you won’t make me kill anybody.”

 

Bucky turned towards you. “I promise. But I can’t promise that I won’t.”

  
“Fair enough.”


	14. Chapter 14

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am so sorry for taking so long.

You had never felt so cold in your life. Not even that time you kissed Bobby at the school dance and your mouths nearly froze together. This was pure, unadulterated cold. You were pretty sure your extremities would freeze off if you didn't find a way to get warm.

You lifted your head to look up at Bucky. Who, surprise, surprise, seemed unfazed. The only thing he had put on was one of the several jackets he carried around.

You sighed silently, observing your partner. Despite the dark shadows across his face, and the crackling fire that made his metal hand glow he seemed, in a sense, beautiful. Okay. No. Scratch that. Not beautiful. You didn't think he was beautiful. Well, sure. He was a bit easy on the eyes but he was too much of an ass for you to consider it. Not to mention his haircut made him look like a hippy.

What was it the Jubilee had called it? Oh, right. Aesthetic. For some reason seeing him in this exact place at this exact time just struck you. How could something, someone, so misplaced seem so in his element? He almost seemed like he had no care on the world.

"Are you gonna to stare at me all night or are you gonna sleep?"

You rolled your eyes and resisted the urge to turn away from him. No use in being petty yet. 

"I can't sleep. It's too cold."

Bucky cocked an eyebrow at you and huffed. "Really? You're such a hot head I thought for sure you'd pull through."

"Hardy, har har. Listen, smartass not all of us are as unaffected by the cold as you are."

"Never would gave guessed."

"Ugh." This time you did turn your back to him.

The two you stayed silent for a few more moments. You shifted on the ground, frustration increasing as you tried to get comfortable on the cold stone floor.

"Hey."

You turned your head to him and he beckoned you with his hand.

"Come here."

You glared suspiciously at him. Was he messing with you? Or was he actually trying to be nice?

"C'mon, sweetheart. I won't bite. Promise."

You stood up from the ground, blankets tightly around your shoulders, and shuffled over to him. "Don't call me that."

You stared down at him a few more seconds before relenting and plopping down on his right side, away from the other arm. You closed your eyes as the warmth of the fire seeped through your skin. Why hadn't you just gotten closer to the fire earlier? 

You tensed when you felt him put his arm around your shoulder. You pushed him away roughly, shooting an icy glare that could rival the cold you were feeling now.

"What are you doing," you hissed. 

"I'm trying to warm you up," He replied matter-of-factly and held his arm out for you to nestle into his side. 

You sighed. "Fine. But don't get any funny ideas."

Bucky rolled his eyes. "Wouldn't dream of it."

You shifted closer to him and allowed his arm to wrap around your shoulders. You had to stop yourself from sighing out loud. The man was a furnace! Was this why he was able to take so much cold? The bastard had been holding out in you all along.

Soon enough you felt your eyes fluttered shut.

_________________

When you woke up the fire was nearly out and you were lying on the ground. You shivered and pulled your blanket tighter around your frame. Why had you woken up? Was it your watch already?

A shuddering breath caught your attention and you turned to see Bucky laying beside you. Your eyes widened as his left arm jerked and his face pinched. Not again. 

You made quick work of pushing hair out of his face and holding down his flesh arm. Your fingers brushed against his cheekbone and the crook of his elbow. A deep breath and you repeated your mantra to him.

"Shh. It's okay. You're okay. Everything is going to be alright, Bucky. Just sleep." 

You stroked your knuckles lightly angainst his cheek, brushing against the beginning of a beard. You felt as his muscles uncoiled against your hands. With a final whir of a gear his metal hand unclenched from the fist it had been and fell slack beside him.

"Sleep until it's time for you to wake up." 

Pulling your hand away from his face you laid beside him again and curled your other hand against his bicep. Your thumb rubbed against his skin occasionally as you continued to feed him relaxation and reassuring words.

You'd cut him some slack tonight, but if he didn't come clean about his sleeping issues tomorrow you would confront him about it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is so short it's painful. Gaah.


	15. Chapter 15

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Crap it's six months exactly since the last update. I feel like a complete piece of trash for not having posted this sooner.

A few hours later Bucky woke up to her nestled into his side. He got up silently and tended to the fire; it was nearly out.

He shook his head at the thought of you. No reason to make a big deal about it. She was cold and his metabolism provided more warmth than the average person. It was an easy decision to make all things considered.

He sighed deeply and stretched out his back, grunting as several satisfying cracks ran down his spine. He looked down at her pensively. She had swayed him again last night. He could still feel the tingling warmth in his arm. Not to mention the palms of her hand were slightly flushed. He was surprised she hadn't complained yet. It seemed to be her only form of entertainment besides snarking at him.

He huffed lightly and looked towards the exit of the cave. The sun hadn't come up yet. His eyes wandered back down to her. One part of him was amazed at how specific her abilities could be. The other part of him felt a grim sense of satisfaction.

He had definitely chosen the right person to come along on his mission. She could take out a whole troop of soldiers with just one touch of her skin. He sort of wished he could convince her to stay through the entirety of his revenge road trip. Taking names left and right and ripping HYDRA a new one. He'd probably even bear through all her complaining. Okay, maybe not, but he'd be much more lenient if it meant it would help.

He looked down at her bruised wrist and pursed his lips. No. They had a deal. Once they were finished with this, they'd never have to see each other again. He's have to carry on on his own.

You woke up to Bucky skinning another animal.  
His back was to you and you couldn't exactly tell if it was a small rabbit or a large squirrel. Your grumbling stomach decided that it didn't really care.

"Morning." He placed the animal over a spit and reached for a water bottle to rinse his hands and knife.

You grunted and sat up slowly. Goosebumps raised on your skin from the cold air. "What is that?"

"Breakfast." He took a swig from his bottle and wiped his mouth with the back of his flesh hand.

You squinted your eyes at him and sucked your teeth. "It's too early for you to be a jackass."

Bucky scoffed and glanced in your direction. "It's a rabbit. Found it not too far from here."

You hummed, which turned into a groan as you stretched your aching muscles. Yesterday's hike and sleeping on the ground really took a toll on you. Thankfully, after today you would only have another day of hiking. Then you'd help infiltrate HYDRA, and should Bucky withhold his end of the bargain you'd be back home by the upcoming Friday. One week exactly. Then no more super assassins dragging you through the wilderness or bitter cold nights. Just you, your couch and Netflix. It almost seemed too good to be true.

You smacked your mouth with a grimace. That's it. Three days was your limit. You had to brush your teeth or else your own breath was liable to kill you. You opened you back pack, which you had used as a very uncomfortable pillow last night, and fished out your toothbrush, travel toothpaste and a bottle of water. You'd have to use as little water as possible if you wanted to have enough by the end of the week.

After bundling yourself up with your warmer layers and Bucky's hoodie, you stood up and headed towards the mouth of the cave. "Be right back. Just need to brush my teeth."

"S'about damn time."

"Asshole." You shot back. You didn't see the way he smirked as you stomped off.

 


End file.
